An unusually strong storm is battering northern Europe, killing at least 11 people, capsizing a container ship in the English Channel and disrupting travel across the continent.

German authorities say the storm, named Cyril, is expected to intensify Thursday. Gusts of about 160 kilometers per hour swept across Britain.

At sea, British and French naval forces have rescued 26 crewmembers from a British container ship that capsized in the Channel. French officials say some of the containers on the British-flagged ship Napoli were carrying dangerous materials. Both countries have sent tugs to the scene in an attempt to tow the stricken vessel to port.

Airline flight delays and cancellations have been reported in London, Frankfurt, Munich, Amsterdam and Vienna. Train and ferry service has been suspended in several countries, and government authorities are warning people to avoid unnecessary travel.

Meanwhile, the stormy weather is hampering efforts to salvage a Cypriot-flagged cargo ship stranded off the western coast of Latvia. Authorities say the Greek-owned ship The Golden Sky was carrying fertilizer and fuel oil when it ran aground Monday off Ventspils, a port city on the Baltic Sea. The entire crew has been evacuated.